Eye of the Storm
by PerfectlyJaded
Summary: What happens when you combine late-night pop tarts and Fanfiction... OC included. Rated because I have no idea what's going to happen.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: I started watching this show, and discovered I liked it. So one night when browsing Fanfiction on my lap-top and eating pop tarts, I thought to myself 'I should right a story about that while I'm high on sugar!' So here it is! At least the 1st chapter...**_

* * *

I pride myself on being smart. I also pride myself on being tough. So when a football player tripped me in the hallway making me fall to the ground and drop my book, I was really torn between walking away, and kicking him in the nuts.

My perfect record of non-violence (at least whenever someone was watching) made me opt for the first choice. As I collected myself, I saw a hand reach down and grab my book. I looked up the boy who performed the action, Chase Davenport. I sat next to him in science; he was new, really smart, and _always_ got good grades.

For some bizarre reason, this was enough to send me into a tailspin every time I saw him.

"Are you ok?"

His voice broke my thoughts, and I felt blood rushing to my face. "Yeah," I managed to stutter out.

He offered a hand, which I took without thinking, causing my face to redden even more as he pulled me to my feet.

'_HE's HOLDING MY HAND!'_ I thought. _Good god_ I wanted to slap myself.

"Thanks," I breathed, and pulled my hand away to push my glasses further up.

"Hey, don't worry about it," Chase said, thinking my red face was embarrassment from falling, "the football players mess with everyone. Are you new here?"

I nodded slowly, "Transferred," I stuttered, _god he made me __**so**__ nervous_, "couple weeks ago."

He smiled then looked down, turning his attention to my book which he still held in his hands. "Wuthering Heights, good book," he observed, then looked back up at me, "who's your favorite character?"

I was still a nervous wreck, "Um, not sure," I stuttered out, unable to think.

"A lot of people say Heathcliff or Cathy, but they can never answer why," he stated, "It seriously annoys me."

Wait, was he questioning my genius? Ok, _that_ sounded a little conceited. Luckily, it allowed my brain to finally kick in.

"I know right," I said, this time keeping my voice steady, "I don't really like either of them." I froze in thought for a moment, and then continued, "Lockwood has to be my favorite."

Chase raised an eyebrow, "That's an interesting choice."

I shrugged but continued anyway, "Yeah, I suppose it is. But I guess I like him because there's nothing to hate. He's undeveloped compared to the others; whom you feel sorry for one minute, and completely hate the next. I like him because of his simplicity. He's like a solid island in the middle of a raging sea."

"Hm, that's a great metaphor."

My eyes snapped from Chase to where the new voice came from, at his left. There stood, though I had _no_ idea of _when_ they got there, Leo Dooly and Chase's siblings, Adam and Bree.

"It's a simile," I said, and my eyes snapped toward Chase as I realized we spoke in unison. I lost my senses once more. The bell rang, and only because I was staring at them did I notice a slight flash of pain in Chase's eyes.

"The bell," I sputtered, "I have to go… I mean, I don't… you know, want to be late." I tripped over the words.

He nodded, "Course, it was nice talking to you" he started to walk away with his friends, so I turned to go. "Wait!" he shouted, and I spun back around to face him, "My name's Chase," he smiled, and my heart melted.

'_I know…'_

"Lauren," I told him, and forced a smile on my own features, before spinning on my heel and walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

**_AN: Just sitting on my couch, watching TV (Lab Rats of course) and I thought, hm, maybe I should update that story. So... TA DA!_**

* * *

"Hey Lauren, wait up!"

I stopped and sucked in a breath, then forced myself to take another. I wasn't going to freak; I was going to stay in control…

I turned around and smiled, "Hey Chase." He ran down the school's front steps until he was right in front of me. I saw something different in him right off; he was keeping his gaze focused somewhere beyond me instead of on me, and he kept his hands tightly fisted with his thumbs hooked in his jeans. Was he… _nervous_?

"Something on your mind?" I relaxed a little, knowing that I wasn't the only one who was apprehensive. He ran his hand though his hair before answering, and I silently wondered if he knew how much that made me want him.

"Um, I was thinking that…" He lost his confidence then, "your hands are very soft."

My eyebrows shot up, "My hands?"

He paled, "Yes, do you use moisturizer?"

I honestly did not know how to respond to that, "Um, yeah…"

"Good," he nodded, "well bye!" He turned to walk away, but out of the corner of my eye I saw his sister, who was watching us from behind a pole, glare at him and point at me. He sighed and turned back around to face me.

"Sorry, that… was… stupid."

"Yeah, it was," but my small grin let him know I was joking, and he grinned back.

"I really came over here to ask you if you wanted to go to the mall later." I went as pale as a ghost, _'WAIT! The mall can mean just as friends'_ I reminded myself.

I had to be sure, "If that's it," my eyes drilled into his, "then why were you so nervous?"

He rocked back on his heels and kept his eyes on the floor, "I guess I'm not used to talking to girls," he said quietly.

"Chase," _god_ my heart beat faster just when I said _his name_, "you have a sister."

"Yes but I'd never ask my sister on a date."

_Oh my… GOD._

My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. Chase even seemed taken aback at what he said.

"I… I…" he stuttered. But I didn't let him finish, "Chase," I stepped closer to him, "are you asking me on a date?"

He nodded, not trusting his voice.

_Oh my god I am going to faint…_

"The mall?" I asked. He nodded again.

I looked into his eyes, "Yes."

He gaped, not believing it, "Really?"

I nodded vigorously, "Why not, does six sound good?"

"Yeah, see you then," he absolutely beamed.

I smiled back, "See you then."

Then, I turned around and walked away. When I was clear of school property, I took off running. Needless to say, I ran all the way home; despite the fact my house was 2.3 miles away.

When I got to my house, I ran straight to my room, flew onto the bed, and starting jumping up and down screaming "YES! YES! YES!" over and over again until my dad walked in.

"What is going on?" he shouted. I leaped off the bed and grasped him by the shoulders, "I HAVE A DATE! WITH A BOY!"

I screamed again and he groaned, "Great, you've reached _that_ stage…"

He started to leave, but another scream from me stopped him, "What now?"

"_I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!"_

* * *

_**AN: I had to do it... :P**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**AN: NEW CHAPTER! Now I'm going to go sit on my couch and watch the new episode of Lab Rats... YAY!**_

* * *

After half an hour of hearing my dad say, "Yes, that's nice" and "Just wear that one," I finally decided to wear a white camisole with a black cropped vest, light blue skinny jeans, and black converse for my date.

Currently it was 5:50, and my dad was shooing me out of the car reminding me to have fun, be home by 10 (even though the mall closed at 9), and not to "participate in any mouth to mouth contact." What I found weird was that he was worried about me kissing someone, and not me walking home… alone… late at night… in the dark.

I guess dads are just weird like that.

I found Chase in the food court, and when he saw me he stood up and waved me over. "Hey," he said as he smiled at me, "you, look great."

"Not so bad yourself," I smirked. _Not so bad? _He was_ gorgeous!_

Honestly, he was more than gorgeous. He was dressed in a simple white button down shirt with a black tie, blue jeans, and gray high tops. He was absolutely beautiful, though in all honesty, I believed the outfit would be better without the shirt…

"Hey, are you okay? Lauren?" Chase's voice snapped me out of my strange and bizarre thoughts.

I smiled at him, "I'm fine," I said, struggling to keep my emotions hidden, "just spaced for a moment. So… what do you want to do?"

"I thought we could get a bite to eat first, no sense in walking around the mall on an empty stomach," he said, then looked around at the various options offered. _'Wow…"_ I heard him whisper.

I stepped closer, "Something wrong?" He shook his head, "Not really, I just don't have experience with a lot of these foods…"

My jaw nearly dropped; the food court only had burgers, hot dogs, pizza, Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican food, things most people ate every day.

"You mean you haven't tried _any_ of these foods?" I asked.

He shrugged, "Well, some. At home we usually have pizza, and they give us hamburgers at school for lunch sometimes…"

I put my hands on my hips, "You're telling me, that before school, all you ate was pizza."

Chase shook his head, "Actually, before we met Leo we had never eaten pizza." I noticed that he was using 'we' now, which I took to mean him and his brother and sister, since I doubted that Donald Davenport (a very, very, _very_ rich man) had never had pizza.

"Then what did your dad feed you?" I asked, though I saw Chase tense up at the word 'dad,' but after a moment he relaxed.

"A lot of protein."

Before I could ask what the hell that meant, he turned to look at me, and his dreamy eyes were enough to make me lose my train of thought.

"So," he gestured outward, "what do you recommend?"

I grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the nearest vender: the Chinese place. "Two mandarin chicken bowls with chow mein please," I told the guy at the counter.

"Great," he said, then starter getting our meals ready, "do you want drinks with that?"

I turned to Chase, "Water," he said, and I raised an eyebrow, then turned back to face the counter, "Two cokes please," I could pretty much visualize what Chase's face looked like right then.

After thanking and paying the guy, I grabbed the try with the items I ordered and sat down at the closest table. I dug in, but Chase seemed reluctant.

"Here," I handed him a pair of chopsticks, "you use them to eat; hold them like this," I said, then demonstrated with my own food. He picked it up right away, and I saw by the look on his face that he enjoyed the meal.

"This is delicious," he said after he swallowed. His hand went for the drink, but he hesitated.

"What is it?" I asked, "Don't tell me you've never had soda before."

"I haven't," he admitted, "but by choice. There's approximately 52 grams of sugar in this cup alone," he held up his drink.

I nodded, "Yep, sounds about right," I said, and then took a minute to down everything in my cup. I shook my head, "Nope, more like 58."

He stared at me, "you can't possibly know that." I simply gestured to the cup he still held in his hand and smirked, "If you think I'm wrong…"

He caved, and tentatively took a sip, then another, and I saw his eyes brighten. In a second he had the lid off, and gulped the coke down. I giggled, and his head snapped up to look at me.

"57.96 grams," he said sheepishly. I grinned at him, "Wow, impressive taste buds."

"Not bad yourself," he said then took another bite of his food, "you've got some pretty impressive senses."

I smirked, "You think that's impressive," I looked around the food court until I saw a man talking on his cell phone, "watch this," I told my date. As I looked away, I noticed Chase run a hand behind his ear, as though he were brushing away a strand of hair. But I also noticed that he turned his ear toward the man I was looking at.

'_O…k, I'll find out what that means later,'_ I thought, then locked my eyes on the man with the phone.

"…_And remember you have to pick up milk, we're all out," _came a female voice from the speaker, presumably the man's wife.

"_Well, honey I'll try, but things are going to run late at the office ,"_ the man said, causing me to shake my head as I turned back to face Chase.

"Ok, that man better hope his wife isn't paranoid cause if she is it would be very easy to find out if he's lying."

I looked at Chase and repeated what I'd just heard. "Wow," he smiled brightly, "that was incredible."

I smiled and looked down at my hands, suddenly shy, "It's nothing really…"

He beamed, "Are you kidding? I've never seen anybody with such amazing senses! How… were you born this advanced?"

"Well, no," I admitted, "and it's not really _advanced..._"

"Then what happened to give you this gift? I bet it's a remarkable story!"

I froze.

My gaze drifted down to my food, "I'm suddenly full," I said, though I had barely eaten half my meal.

"Wait, Lauren! Where are you going?" Chase shouted after me; I had gotten up, dumped my food in the trash, and was walking as fast as I could.

Chase was too shocked to get up, let alone follow me, but I kept walking faster. I wanted, no, _needed_, to get away. I tied to blink away the tears forming in my eyes, but still I felt one slip out.

"LAUREN!"

That time I almost stopped, but didn't, because the story he was asking me to tell…

I couldn't do it, because if I did, I felt the pain would overwhelm me.

I felt it would destroy me.

* * *

**_AN: Ooo, cliffhanger... (cue ominous music) DUN DUN DUH_**


	4. Chapter 4

It took about half an hour for Chase to find me.

After running away from him I had ducked into the nearest exit I could find, which was the emergency exit stairwell. I pushed my back up against the wall, slid down until I felt the floor under me, and cried. When I heard the door open, and saw him walk in, I got up and started to run up the nearest flight of stairs.

I had barely put my foot on the first step before his hand closed around my wrist. I gasped and used my free hand to grab the railing to steady myself. He peeled my fingers off and turned me around so I faced him, and I didn't have the strength to resist as he took my chin in his hand and forced me to look in his eyes. I saw confusion, sadness and pain, two things I knew which were reflected in my own eyes. Chase released my chin and raised his thumb to my cheek, sending shivers down by spine as he wiped away a teardrop.

He sighed, "Lauren, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I would never, ever, ask you to do anything that would cause you pain."

I shook my head and wiped my eyes, "No, it's fine," I sat down on the step, "you- you just caught me by surprise."

Chase sat down next to me, but my eyes stayed locked on the floor as I spoke. "When I was seven, I was in a car crash with my mom. I was fine physically, but she died on impact. I remember looking at her after the other car hit us. Her eyes were closed, and I started shaking her, telling her, _begging_ her to wake up until a paramedic pulled me out of the car. I kicked and fought and screamed, telling him I wouldn't go without my mom. I'll _never_ forget, the moment when another medic stuck his hand through the broken window to press two fingers to her neck, and then looked up and shook his head. I was young not ignorant, I knew perfectly well what that meant but- I screamed and cried even more, pleading with them to bring her back, saying that she wouldn't leave, she couldn't…"

My voiced caught in my throat as I choked down a sob. Chase put his hand on mine; his touch calmed me, and I kept going. "They put me in an ambulance then ended up having to sedate me. When I woke up, I started screaming again, but this time, I was screaming because I couldn't _see_. Later the psychologist told me and my dad I was suffering from-"

"Hysterical blindness," my head snapped up to look at Chase, but he was more looking past me than at me, "Blindness associated with emotional shock; later designated as conversion disorder."

My eyes widened, "Wow, most people just ask 'Is that a real thing?'" My eyes bore into his, "How do you know that?"

He suddenly seemed flustered, "I'm… really smart."

I raised an eyebrow and surprisingly, I found myself laughing despite the tears still in my eyes, "Yeah, I've noticed. Anyway, the shrink told us the same thing. After that I was blind for about a year or so, and at first it was hard. But, without sight, my other senses became sort of over-developed. I could hear things… things normal people couldn't hear; a fly buzzing in a different room, music playing in the house down the street. My improved sense of smell even saved a few lives once, when something in the science lab caught fire and I could smell the smoke from my classroom and no one else could."

"Amazing," I heard Chase mutter.

I shrugged, "Yeah, it was, but it was also confusing."

"I wasn't talking about your senses."

I blushed and smiled, then frowned. Without warning, I punched Chase in the shoulder. "OW!" he yelled, rubbing the spot, "What was that for?!"

"Don't make me happy when I'm telling you a sad story from my past!"

My voice was completely stern, but I was barely able to stop the smile that was tugging at the corner of my mouth.

Chase sighed, "I'm sorry- I guess I just didn't understand before. You have an amazing gift, but you had to suffer immensely to get it," He stopped to look at me, "How'd you get your sight back?"

"It was a long time, but eventually, the summer before fourth grade started, my dad took me back to the psychologist. He ended up giving me these glasses, telling me they would make me see again. And they did; I refused to take them off the rest of the day, I even slept with them on. The next day the shrink told me the glasses weren't special, and that me believing they were somehow rewrote my brain and let me see again."

I held up my hands, "Don't ask me how the hell that works, because I honestly have no idea."

He just smiled, "Well the brain is a wonderful thing."

I laughed, something I usually wasn't able to do so soon after talking about my mom. But one word from Chase… I sighed.

"I'm sorry I ruined our date."

He glared at me, "You didn't ruin anything."

"Yes I did, first I run off and start crying, and then you were acting all sweet and trying to help and I just started ranting about my traumatic childhood and how I lost my sight and now you probably think I'm weird and you never want to see me again and that-"

I stopped talking, though I wasn't sure why. It took my brain a bit longer to catch up with my body, and when it did, I realized that _Chase_ had stopped me.

_By kissing me._ Chase Davenport, was _kissing me._

Holy shit.

I was too shocked to do anything, even after he finally pulled away. His face was red, red to the point where I had a sneaking suspicion that he had never kissed anyone before that, a thought that inexplicably filled me with a sort of pride.

A few minutes passed before I was able to speak, "Um…what was that for?"

Chase just continued to blush, "In the movies, when the girl rambles on about something stupid the guy kisses her to shut her up." When he stopped, the silence came around again.

"Did you just call me stupid?"

His eyes widened almost comically, "What?! No! I mean I-I didn't mean- I wasn't implying that- that you were-"

I don't really know why, but in the next second, I pressed my lips against his. The kiss was soft and gentle, but something about it sent a shock through my body. He just sat there, dazed after I pulled back slightly.

I smirked, "I guess it works on guys too."

"I-I guess it does," he whispered, still a little out of it.

"We should leave."

My statement seemed to shock him out of his bewildered state, "W-What?"

"We're kind of blocking the emergency exit, that's a safety hazard."

I walked away from him, and out the door.

And for some strange reason, he followed me.

* * *

"You didn't have to walk me home."

I knew that it was a little pointless to say, mainly because we were less than a block away from my house already, but I said it anyway.

He shrugged, "I know, but I wanted to."

"You wanted to, even though we're only walking further away from _your_ house?" I raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't make much sense."

"It makes perfect sense, it allows me to spend as much time as possible with you," he said, and I found myself blushing.

"Unfortunately, that time's up," I said, coming to a stop in front of my house, "This is me."

Chase frowned, "Oh, ok. I guess I'll see you then."

Apparently neither of us had ever been in this situation before. Talk about awkward.

I nodded, "Yeah, see you." I started walking toward my door, pausing only when I heard Chase's voice.

"Can we do this again tomorrow?"

…

…

…

"What?"

"I-I still," he struggled with finding the words at first, but then took a breath and seemed to regain his nerve, "I still have your book, _Wuthering Heights_, it's at my house. You can come get it tomorrow if you want, and then, maybe we could go see a movie or something."

I hoped _to god_ the darkness hid my blushing.

"Yeah," I finally responded, "I'd like that."

He smiled, "Great," then he blushed, "Can I- um… is it ok if I, kiss you goodnight?"

His voice was hopeful, and for a moment I was terrified that I would faint on sight. I nodded.

In a second he was there, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips, a kiss that was over much too soon for my liking.

"I'll see you tomorrow," and then he was gone, walking down the street. Though for a moment, I could've sworn he was _skipping_.

I stifled a laugh as I walked inside my house. My dad's eyes were on me in an instant.

"You're home early."

"Yeah," my voice _much_ too dreamy for my taste, but I was too happy to care, something my dad picked up on.

"Why are you so happy?" he asked.

I laughed and shook my head, "Goodnight father."

I left him standing there in shock as I went to my room; I _never_ called him father. I flopped down on my bed, practically oozing joy. I went on a date with Chase Davenport. I was going on _another_ date with him _tomorrow_. I sighed, perfectly content for one of the first times in my life. I felt sleep coming on as I quickly threw on my night clothes and slipped under my blankets, part of me thinking about Chase, and part of me wondering if my dad was still breathing in the other room.

"I THOUGHT I SAID NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY MOUTH TO MOUTH CONTACT!"

Well that answered that question.


	5. Chapter 5

_4 months later_

The rain was pouring by the time I knocked on the front door. At 5 o'clock at night, it shouldn't have been this dark, but the storm clouds cast shadows over everything, and it would have been completely dark, save for the flashes of lightening that appeared in the sky. Right now there was approximately 2 minutes and 38 seconds between strikes; I had counted. There were about 10 seconds until the next strike, and the sky light up with a crack just as the door opened. Bree smiled out at me.

I smiled back, "Hey Bree, where's Chase?"

She just shrugged, "Inside. He would've gotten the door, but you know how he is about lightening."

I nodded; Chase had many strange quirks, lightening was one of them. He hated the stuff, he hated being outside when it cracked. It wasn't like he was afraid of it, he just… well, it was hard to explain. But whenever he heard that distinctive crack echo through the sky, he would wince, like it physically pained him to listen to it. I didn't ask him about it; some people just had sensitive hearing, I should know. The lightening hurt me too sometimes, but it was easy to ignore the pain, I'd had _loads_ of time to learn anyway…

I stepped inside. Tasha was on me instantly, "Oh you poor thing! You're not even wearing a jacket, and you're soaking wet! Get in here before you catch pneumonia!" She pulled me into the living room and sat me down on the couch. I never got used to Tasha's fussing; maybe that was part of not having a mother, or maybe that was part of her not having a daughter. I would probably never know.

I wasn't even cold, but I didn't complain when Tasha draped a blanket over me. "Where's Chase?" I asked, a bit concerned that he wasn't there to greet me. _'Oh shut up you're being paranoid,'_ I thought, _'Not to mention incredibly needy and bitchy.'_ I internally slapped myself for that one.

It was Adam who answered, "He's hiding from the lightening down in the la-"

Bree cut him off quickly, jabbing an elbow into his side so fast that I almost didn't see it, just as Mr. Davenport cut in, "Lavatory! He's in the lavatory. Which is a fancy word for bathroom, so he's really in the bathroom," the man forced out a little nervous laugh before avoiding my curious gaze.

I didn't even have time to think about what had just happened, because Chase chose that moment to step into the room, capturing my attention immediately. He smiled when he saw me, a smile I knew, from all these months of being with him and watching him, was just reserved for me. I knew from just watching him that his heart was speeding up considerably, and I wasn't going to lie and say I didn't _love_ having that effect on someone. I wasn't vain, but it just felt nice to be wanted.

I shrugged off the blanket and stood up, walking over to meet him halfway, only slightly aware that I too was smiling like an idiot. "Hey," I said when he got close enough to wrap his arms around my waist. "Hi," he breathed, before leaning in and touching his lips to mine. After 4 months I still melted at his touch, his taste. He knew it too, the smug bastard. When we finally pulled apart for air, he had a smirk plastered on his face. I smacked his arm.

"Don't look so snooty," his smirk just got wider, as if that's even possible, "It's not my fault I'm a fantastic kisser," he says. There's a gagging sound behind me and Chase glared at Leo and Adam as I laughed at the look on his face. He shrugged it off and rolled his eyes, "Whatever, you two are just jealous you can't even get dates."

"Hey!" Leo cried, clearly trying to look indignant, "I can get a date whenever I want. It's impossible for the ladies to resist all of _this_," he gestured down at his body. Bree rolled her eyes, "Yes, because who wouldn't want 80 pounds of pure prepubescent teen." Chase laughed and started pulling me towards the door, "Come on, we're going to be late. Hey uh… dad, can you drive us to the movies?"

Mr. Davenport nodded, "Sure, just let me get my-" He's cut off as the lights in the house suddenly flickered then died, before coming back on a few seconds later. Tasha looked towards him, "Donald, what was that?"

I answered, trying to calm her, "It was just a power outage, just a brief little flicker that's all. It's over now." Mr. Davenport shook his head as he looked at his tablet, "Not over, the entire city's out. We've only got power because of the back-up generators."

"Anything we can do?" Bree asked.

"No, just a regular black out, nothing to do but wait it out," Mr. Davenport turned his attention to Chase and I, "Anyway, looks like you two are stuck here."

Chase groaned, "Fantastic." I stared at him, "You know, you look pretty cute when you pout."

"I'm not pouting."

I smiled, "Of course not."

Leo spoke up next, "You two can just watch a movie here, Big D can get any movie ever made up on the screen quicker than Adam can say the alphabet." Adam perked up at this comment, though he seemed to have completely missed the insult, "Oooh! Are we having a movie night? Can we watch _Barbie: A Fashion Fairytale_?"

I, along with everyone else in the room, turned to stare at him in confusion and what could only be described as a 'WTF' look on our faces. He answered with a blank stare, "What?"

"Barbie?" I asked, entirely sure he was serious, but still disbelieving.

Adam looked back at me with a defiant stare, "She's just a headstrong girl that's trying to make her place in the world!" He crossed his arms and sank further into the couch.

Leo just shook his head, clearly more adapted to Adam's strangeness than I was, "We are _not_ watching Barbie. I say we watch an action movie, what do you say Big D?"

I looked at Mr. Davenport and watched as a smirk stared to spread slowly across his face, "Violence, gore, _explosions_. Why Leo I think that's the best idea you had since… ever."

"_Donald,"_ Tasha chided, "We are not watching something like that."

"Sorry mom, you're outvoted," Leo said triumphantly as he and Mr. Davenport shared a high five.

Adam, who seemed to have forgotten his earlier preferences, also grinned, "Sweet, an action movie! Oh oh! We should watch the one where there are those people, and they go on secret missions that seem impossible!" He suddenly frowned, "But I can't remember what it's called…"

"Mission Impossible?" Bree prompted.

He shook his head, "No… not that…"

Chase gave him a look, "Yes Adam, _that_," he sighed, "Well, Mission Impossible sounds ok."

Bree smirked, "And a little bit of Tom Cruise sounds great."

"In that case," Tasha said, going over to her with a sly look on her face, "Let's watch the forth one."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because that one has Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, _and_ Simon Pegg," Her, Bree, and I shared a look. Chase rolled his eyes, and Mr. Davenport smiled.

"And Paula Patton!" All eyes turned to stare at him. "What?" He said, a bit defensive, pointing at his wife, "She can get all girly about Tom Cruise but I can think Paula Patton is attractive?"

The "no" sounded unanimously from everyone, before laughter tore through room. Chase smiled at me, and in that moment, with him, and these people whom I had come to know over the past months, I felt at home. I felt a true happiness I hadn't felt since my mother was alive. And it was nice, to feel happy.

But didn't Ralph Emerson say that happiness was just an illusion caused by the temporary absence of reality?

My eyes snapped open, and I realized I had drifted off into thought again. I was sitting on the couch watching Adam and Bree fight over the remote. Huh… what a funny time to think of R.W.E.

Oh well… sometimes I just couldn't control my thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

_2 weeks later_

I didn't get out of bed this morning.

My dad knocked on my door at noon, but after 5 minutes of my silence I heard him walk away. Chase called, texted, but after a while, my phone died. I just laid there, unaware of time or anything else. It really wouldn't be surprising if I stayed like this all day.

Today was the anniversary of my mother's death.

I don't know why I do this every year, why I retreat into my own little world. It wasn't good for me to shy away from my dad, especially because I knew he needed me more than I needed to be alone. But I- no. No buts. My dad needed me, and I needed to be there for him. I forget sometimes. I lost my mom, but he lost his wife. But for so many years he hasn't even paid attention to his own pain, because he's been spending so much time on mine. Not today. I am a teenage girl, almost an adult, I need to stop being selfish. Sitting wallowing in self-pity was not helping anyone.

After a few minutes of having to force my legs to move, I finally managed to get out of bed and look at the clock; it was almost 4. I dragged myself to the bathroom and into the shower. For a few minutes I just stood there, thinking about my mom. Thinking about what I had lost; her, my sight. But then I started thinking about what I _had_; my sight back, my dad. Chase.

I turned off the water and dried myself off before putting on my sweats and one of Chase's t-shirts (which was left at my house under _completely innocent circumstances_). I went out into the living room, and saw my dad sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. He wasn't crying, just thinking really hard, probably about me. I frowned. He didn't need to be worried about me, I could handle myself.

"Hey."

He looked up, startled, "You- You're out of bed," He walked up to me, fingered my wet hair, then sniffed my head, "You're clean."

I laughed, "Yes dad. After all, I am a girl, and most of us are in favor of good hygiene."

At first he seemed a bit shocked at my positive attitude, but then he smiled and hugged me, and I knew I had made the right choice in getting up.

"Come on," I said, dragging him over to the couch, "Let's watch something."

"Ok," he said, sitting down next to me, "Tell me what's on."

I smirked. This was game we played; he knew full well I had the T.V. guide pretty much memorized.

"Well, I do believe there is a Batman marathon on HBO." He turned the television to that channel and saw that I was right, but he still shook his head, "I'm sorry," he said, sounding like the guy from Jeopardy, "the correct answer was "_What is_ a Batman marathon."

"What the heck is that? Marking me down for a technicality? So not cool," I said with mock annoyance.

He laughed, and I laughed with him. It felt good to laugh on this day, something neither of us had done for a long time.

We stayed like that for a couple of hours, just sitting on the couch, talking, laughing, and watching Batman. It was almost 6 when my dad said he was feeling hungry.

I rolled my eyes, "Of course, you're always hungry; you're a bottomless pit."

He looked at me in mock outrage and patted his stomach, "Hey, this is _all_ muscle. M-U-S-C-L-E."

I frowned, "Um, dad, you spelled 'flab' wrong."

I laughed and ducked out of the way as he swung at me with a pillow. I jumped up from the couch, still laughing, "I'll get it!"

My dad didn't ask me what I meant, just nodded in understanding as I walked to the door. The footsteps I had been hearing walk up our driveway stopped, and the doorbell rang. I was at the door and opening it before the ringing even stopped.

I was greeted with a pair of perfect hazel eyes.

"Hey," I breathed. Chase stared at me.

I smirked, "My eyes are up here."

His gaze snapped up, "You're wearing my shirt."

A blush was slowly spreading across his face, and I knew my dace was probably starting to turn the same color.

"We had it washed." My eyes drifted down to the food containers in his hands, which he held up for me to see.

"Mandarin chicken with chow mein."

I smiled, "You remembered."

He grinned back, but my own smile faded as the footsteps behind me came to a halt, and my dad slung his arm around my shoulders.

"I hope you brought enough for three," he said, and I rolled my eyes at the protective tone in his voice.

Chase, for once, seemed un-phased, and chuckled, "No sir, just enough for two I'm afraid," he held out the containers to us. My dad took his, but my hands stayed limp at my sides as the meaning of Chase's words sunk in.

"You're not staying."

The words were more of a statement then a question, but he still shook his head, "My dad's making my siblings and I hang out, something about wanting us to get along better…"

'_Well that sounds just a bit too rehearsed-' _I smothered my doubts, "Oh," I said instead; there was sadness in my voice.

My dad seemed to realize that we wanted to be alone, "I'll just go put these on the table," he, ever so reluctantly, took my food from Chase's hands and went inside.

I sighed, looking after him, "He's a pain sometimes but he knows how to take a hint," I turned back to my boyfriend, "Do you really have to go?"

He nodded, "Though I'd much rather stay here with you," he moved closer so I could wrap my arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you earlier."

"Don't" he said, pulling me closer, "Don't apologize for that, you don't have to."

I sighed into his shoulder, "But I _should_."

"No, you shouldn't," he sighed and pulled away a little, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and fixed my glasses, which had been crooked. He smiled a bit.

"I have to go now," he kissed my forehead before pulling out of the hug, "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

I nodded, "Ok."

His smile widened and he walked down the driveway. I stepped back inside and started to close the door. At the last second I stopped, and stuck my head back out, planning to ask Chase if he wanted to come over later.

I'm not entirely sure what I saw when I looked out there.

I pulled my head inside before shutting the door, and walking back to my living room. I sat on the couch, but other than that I was completely still as my mind whirled. The scene was replaying over and over in my head.

Bree had been there, standing with Chase where my driveway met the sidewalk, and I could have sworn she hadn't been anywhere near my house a second ago. She spoke to him, asking if he had talked to me, which he responded to by saying he had. I was about to call out to them, but then Chase jumped on her back, and they were gone. I stared in shock at the spot they had just been occupying, and my keen ears picked up a sound that hadn't fully quite registered at the time.

Now, as I sat back remembering the entire incident, remembering that sound, I realized what it was.

It was footsteps, those of a person running.

Running at a speed that was almost faster than the sound itself.

"Ah hell."


	7. Chapter 7

_1 month later_

I was going to mention the incident to Chase the next time I saw him, but I lost my nerve.

What if he thought I was crazy or something?

The time after that (and the time after that, and the time after that) when I tried to talk to him about it, the words caught in my throat. What was I supposed to say? 'Hey Chase. Remember on the anniversary of the day my mother died when I was an emotional wreck and mentally unstable? Well, I saw you jump on your sister's back and saw her start running at an impossible speed. Any of this sounding familiar?'

Yep. He'd definitely think I was crazy.

Hell I _was_ crazy.

So I forgot about it, at least as much as I could. Which, in all honesty, really wasn't that much. So instead I blocked it from my mind whenever I was with Chase, terrified that mentioning it would mean an immediate end to our relationship. The subject therefore, at least within my mind, was taboo; forbidden.

Sometimes he would catch on, and ask me what was bothering me. But I always said it was nothing, and I always felt terrible for lying to him.

'_You feel terrible for lying?! His sister has superpowers and he sure as hell didn't tell you th-'_

"SHE DOES NOT HAVE SUPERPOWERS!"

It took a moment for me to realize I had said this out loud. Well, shouted it mostly. But I was just in my room, my _empty_ room. No one had heard me.

There was a knock at my door. I nearly stopped breathing; I had thought the house was empty.

'_Oh great dad heard me yelling at myself about superpowers and now he thinks I'm mentally unstable and is going to want to take me back to see my shrink or worse the mental hospital again and I want to go to that place it's too white and they never paint and the pyromaniacs always manage to start a fire despite the fact they have no matches and oh god I'm going to die in a fire at a mental hospital and-'_

I opened my door, "Yes?"

My dad stared at me, clearly worried, "Um… is everything ok?"

I nodded, "Of course," I inwardly swore at the, my voice was too high (I sounded like freaking Barbie), which happened sometimes when I lied.

"Are you sure?" he asked, stepping further into my room, "Is something going on with you and Chase?"

"No, Chase and I are great," I said, this time sounding a lot more convincing, as I walked to sit on my bed.

"Oh," he said, sitting down across from me. Something in his voice changed, and the worry on his face melted to anxiety, "That makes this a bit harder then…"

I frowned, "Makes what harder?"

"I got a promotion. It pays a lot more and the working conditions are better. It's the greatest thing that could've happened to me."

"I'm sensing a 'but.'"

He sighed, "The job is in Italy. They want me out there by the end of next month."

"NEXT MONTH?!" I jumped off the bed, shaking with anger, "YOU WANT US TO MOVE TO ITALY BY NEXT MONTH?!"

"Oh sooner. Laur, it's not that big of a deal, we've moved because of my job before."

"THAT WASN'T TO ANOTHER COUNTRY!" I took a deep, shuddering breath, "Why do we have to leave? I've finally found a place where I'm happy. I have friends, a boyfriend. Can't we stay here?"

He was silent for a minute, "It's a great opportunity, fantastic, in fact. And we could really use the money Laur."

My jaw clenched, "We're doing _just fine_."

"Lauren, I _want_ to take this job. It would be good for us, a new experi-"

"Good for _us?!_" I exploded. "I think you mean good for you! Since mom died all we ever do is what you want! Well I'm sick of that bullshit! I'm doing, _for once_, what I want. I'm. NOT. LEAVING!" I stormed out before he could respond. I didn't even a jacket, just ran out into the cool, windy air.

I kept running. I didn't even have to think about my destination, I just knew it instantly. I was running to comfort, to stability.

_To Chase._

I got to his house fairly quick, and pounded on the door as I took in gulps of air, trying to keep back tears of sadness and regret. Sadness because I didn't want to move; to leave the first place that had ever felt like home since my mom's death. I didn't want to leave Chase. Regret because I knew that I shouldn't have yelled at my dad. He was telling the truth about needing this job. And it would be nice to live in Italy…

"Well hello there."

I looked up and sighed, ceasing my banging on the door, "Hi Eddie. Is Chase here?"

"Well…" the smart home system (psh, more like smartass system) said, "he might be, but I'm not sure…"

I rolled my eyes, why couldn't he just give a straight answer? "Then can you please let me in so I can look for him?"

Eddie smiled, sort of, "Of course. Here you go."

The door swung open. I said a quick 'thank you' then stepped inside. It became pretty clear pretty quick that no one was home.

'_Then why is the microwave on?'_ I thought. I looked toward the appliance, but it was, in fact, not running. I frowned and closed my eyes. When I had walked in I had heard a sound; something was running, something mechanical I listed to the sound, which had softened to a quiet hum. And relying on years of experience, I followed it blindly closer to the source. I found myself at a dead end.

I frowned, what _was_ that? It probably wasn't important, but my curiosity was getting the best of me.

'_Curiosity killed the cat.'_

I sighed and slumped against the wall. Imagine my surprise when it lit up behind me. I stepped back in shock; a control panel. A moment later I saw what it controlled.

"But satisfaction brought it back."

My voice, initially a whisper, echoed loudly within the elevator that had suddenly appeared. So, Davenport had a secret elevator which led to a secret underground room.

Kinky.

I stepped inside, and the door shut behind me. I breathed in, then out, listening to the gentle hum which had drawn me here. A different door opened, on the opposite side of the elevator.

I walked out, into a whole new type of basement. My first thought: _'Chase's dad is Batman.'_

My second thought: _'Chase's dad doesn't have the physical or mental capacity to be Batman. Plus Batman is much more handsome and mysterious.'_

But the room I was in said otherwise. There were technologies here that I could have never dreamed of, probably some of Davenport's inventions. This had to be his laboratory. Which, in reality, wasn't that strange. He was an inventor; inventors had workshops and science labs. He was a particularly successful and rich inventor, so he had his built in the sub-levels of his home so far down it had to be reached with an elevator.

I shook my head, I shouldn't have been there, especially while there was no on in the house. I turned to go, but something caught my eye.

It was an update of some kind flashing on Davenport's computer screen. I didn't mean to read it, really I just glanced at it. But with that glance my sharp eyes had seen everything they needed.

'Mission Status: Nearing Completion'

I was drawn to the flashing light like Sleeping Beauty to a spinning wheel. My finger was itching towards the keypad; I had to admit, my curiosity had been peaked. And I was _frighteningly_ bad at ignoring my curiosity.

I exited out of the update, and my eyes scanned the desktop. Now, where would Davenport keep information on so called "missions?" I clicked the icon marked 'projects' and scrolled down the list of folders that popped up. I couldn't find anything relating to missions, but then my eyes settled on another folder, this one titled 'S.P. Bionic H.'

'_S.P. Superpowers, like the ones Bree has.'_

I was past the point of denying this, though part of my mind was still fighting against knowing more. And I knew what that part was; it was fear. It spoke softly, but it's words echoed through my mind.

'_Don't open it.'_

"Why not?" I spoke the words out loud, my own voice barely above a whisper.

'_Because you don't want to know.'_

I closed my eyes, because that little voice inside my head was right.

"I may not _want_ to know, but I can't ignore it and go through everyday wondering what type of life I'm living, what type of lies I'm being told." My eyes opened, my finger twitched, and the folder opened.

So many words, so much information, and my mind absorbed it all like a sponge. Files and reports, I read them all. With each new thing I read, I got quicker, my mind took each new piece of information and fit it into a puzzle that was rapidly becoming solved. Another update flashed but I ignored it, to engrossed in the words on the screen.

Then nothing. I had read everything there was to read. Everything that had been hidden from me was now revealed. I held my head in my hands. I don't know how much time passed before I looked up; my eyes locked on the update.

'Mission Status: Complete'

"What are you doing here?"

I don't know how long he had been here, but it had to be long enough to realize I hadn't stumbled down here on accident. I didn't answer, just stared into his eyes.

His hazel eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

"What are you doing here?"

Chase repeated the question. Still I stayed silent, but when I did speak, I didn't give an answer.

"How'd the mission go?" My voice was remarkably steady.

"Fine," He said, his voice managing not to crack, "But that doesn't answer my question," he paused. "Actually, it answers one of the many questions I have, which was how much do you know. So I guess the answer to that is… a lot."

"Not necessarily. I could've just, come here, looking for you, and accidently stumbled upon the secret elevator. I then, like any person with an ounce of curiosity, taken the elevator to this secret lab. And then after ten minutes of waiting here for you I just," I shrugged, "fell asleep, at the computer. Then when I woke up, I would've seen this thing about a mission, so naturally when you walk in I ask how the mission went."

"Is that what happened?"

"No."

He wasn't looking me in the eye, instead he was staring somewhere past me, as if actually looking at me would be painful somehow, "Well if none of that's true than _why_ would you say it? Any of it. What was the point?"

"Because that's what you wanted to hear, so you could be sure that I was still completely _ignorant_," I spit out the word like it burned me, "of everything that you are. Why would you put me through that? Why would you make it so I wouldn't know a _single thing_ about you?"

"You know everything about me."

I stood up, my eyes blazing, I pointed at the computer screen, "Not about _this_."

"That isn't who I am!" Chase almost yelled.

I yelled right back, "No but it's a pretty damn big part!"

He opened his mouth, probably to yell some more, but he held his tongue, and attempted to calm himself.

'_Good thing to. You remember the files; you know what happens when he gets angry.'_

I bit back a growl; I was so sick and tired of the stupid _voice of reason_ in my head. Because you know what? Maybe I wanted him angry, at least then he couldn't hide from me anymore.

"My bionics," he said, keeping his voice low and steady, "are just part of the way I'm built, they have nothing to do with my personality or the way I feel. They're part of _what_ I am, not _who_ I am. As far as I'm concerned, it's not important."

"You're right, the bionics are not important. The lies are. Because that's pretty much all our relationship has been; lies. Lies about your life, the way you grew up, and I bet you don't _really_ call Davenport your dad, do you?"

I took a breath and stepped closer to him, "Because he's not your dad, he's your creator."

"So maybe he is! But does that _really_ matter to you? Because you want to know what matters to me? Us. That's what matters. And you had to just throw it all away because you couldn't keep your nose out of stuff that had nothing to do with you?"

He actually sounded angry, and for a moment I wasn't sure why, "What are you taking about?"

He cast his eyes on the ground, and clenched his fists by his sides, "We made a deal with Davenport; me, Adam, and Bree. We could go to school, and have actual lives, as long as no one found out about our bionics." He let out one, pained laugh, "But now you know, and Davenport is going to send us away to some remote facility, away from all civilization."

I was silent for a minute, "Only if _anyone_ found out. Am I… just _anyone_? Is that all I am? What do you think I'd do, run off and tell the first person I saw?"

He sighed, "I couldn't be sure…"

"That's a lie; you could be sure. You know me well enough to be sure I wouldn't tell your secret."

"It doesn't matter! Once Davenport finds out you know-"

"Bullshit," I took a step closer, "Your brain is quicker than the fastest computer processor in the world. You know as well as I how easy it would be to erase any evidence that I was here! Davenport wouldn't have to know. We could just go back to pretending that I was in the dark until he decided I could be trusted. You _know_ that. So what's the real problem?

"You know maybe I-" he closed his eyes, "Maybe I didn't _want_ you to know. _Maybe_ I didn't want you to know I was freak."

"I don't _care_ if you're a freak. Hell _I'm_ a freak. I told you I was a freak on the first date and you couldn't tell me after we've been dating for nearly half a year?"

I was pretty sure I had tears in my eyes now, "Chase I…" I paused and walked up to him. I kissed him, and then pulled back, "I don't think you're a freak. I think you're different, and I like different. But I don't like lies. And for so long that's all I've been told, and I think there's any way of coming back from that."

I turned and walked to the elevator, Chase called after me, and I paused, my arm keeping the door from closing.

"Just let me ask you a question Chase," my eyes were locked on his, "Were you ever going to tell me?"

He stayed silent, and that was all the answer I needed. I let the door shut.

I fell back against the nearest wall, letting the tears I had been holding back fall. My hand slipped into my pocket and I drew out my phone. I started a text to my dad.

'Let's go to Italy.'

I pressed send.

The door opened and I ran for the front door, tears blurring my vision. Chase appeared somewhere from my left, having come from another exit.

"Lauren!" he called. There was something in his voice, a pleading and sadness, that made me want to listen.

But I couldn't, so I didn't stop. He attempted to grab my wrist, but I pulled out of his grasp. I yanked the door open and ran out, Chase still calling my name. I stumbled; my foot caught in the doormat. I was falling, and in that split second I realized I didn't want to stop. Because falling was something I was used to, it was natural. I heard a distinct cracking sound, and I wasn't sure if it was my skull or the pavement.

Chase was calling out for me, screaming my name. But it didn't matter.

I kept falling.


End file.
